Shiftable rotary operative fastener attaching unit



May 6, 1947. F, E, JOHNSON 2,420,042

SHIFTABLE ROTARY OPERATIVE -FASTENER ATTACHING UNIT Filed 001'.. l2, 1944 Patented May 6, 1947 SHIFTABLE ROTARY OPERATIVE FASTENER ATTACHING UNIT Franlr E. Johnson, Malden, Mass., assigner to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 12, 1944, Serial No. 558,419

6 Claimsv The present invention relates to improvements in rotary operative type fasteners, such as those employed for connecting together airplane cowling sheets, and aims generally to improve existing fasteners of that type.

More particularly the invention provides an improved and novel construction of female fastener assembly for such rotary operative type fasteners, in which the female fastener member may be shiftably mounted relative to the aperture in the support to which it is attached to facilitate its alignment with the rotary stud member mounted in a part to be attached to the support.

A further object of the invention is to improve. and simplify the constructionof shiftable rotary" operative fastener assemblies to permit the several parts to be formed of extremely light weight'- material and separately heat-treated prior to assembly.

Other aims and objects of the invention will be apparent to those persons skilled in the art from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and annexed specification illustrating and describing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a rotary operative type of fastener installation embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the stud and socket parts of the fastener being shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the attaching plate of the assembly; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the assembly parts of the retainer machine being broken away to better illustrate the construction.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, the cover of the retainer housing being broken away to show the interior of the housing.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the invention provides new and improved means for shiftably attaching a female socket or fastener member to a suitably apertured support, such as one of the parts of airplane cowling, though it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of general application and is not restricted to such use.

Rotary operative type fasteners, such as those used for securing airplane cowling sheets together, usually include a female fastener or socket member I suitably attached to one side of an apertured supporting sheet 2 and adapted to receive and interlock with a. rotary male fastener member 3 rotatably mounted in a part 4 to be secured to the support 2. v'The rotary male fastener element may be formed with lateral projections such as radial arms, adapted to overle and be engaged With a locking seat of the female fastener I spaced outwardly from the support 2. Upon turning of the rotary male fastener member 3, the lateral projections thereof will engage the seat and thus hold the support 2 and part 4 in rigid fastened relationship.

The female fastener or socket member may be of any approved type and construction to receive and lockingly cooperate with a rotary male element 3. Preferably the female fastenerv member includes a base 5 and an outwardly spaced seat for locking engagement with the rotary male element 3 extended through a second supporting plate 2a. In the illustrated form, the socket member I is of the type disclosed and claimed in the prior patent of William A. Bedford, Jr., No. 2,306,928, granted December 29, 1942, to which reference is made for a more complete disclosure of a preferred type of female fastener member.

- The invention provides an improved assembly of a female fastener member and an attaching means therefor for shiftably mounting the female fastener member upon its support 2 overlying the aperture thereof.

According to the invention, there is provided an attaching plate I0 which may have a substantially at body formed with an enlarged central aperture II therein and end extensions I2 apertured as at I3 to receive attachingelements such as rivets I4 for securing the attaching member I0 to the support 2. The body I0 of the attaching plate is substantially larger in area than the cross-sectional area of the fastener member I so that the former provides a slidable bearing surface for the fastener member I.

The fastener member I is retained upon the attaching plate ID by means of a retainer I5 which may comprise a suitably shaped housing or box having a cover I6 apertured as at Il to permit the passage of the nose end of the rotary male fastening member 3. The retainer member is preferably formed with sides I8 disposed at an angle to the cover I6 and at least two of which are provided with flanged extensions I9 bearing against the attaching plate I0. The shape of the flanged extensions I9 may conform to the shape of the underlying parts of the attaching plate Ill and preferably these flanges are provided with extensions 20 apertured as at 2| to align with the apertures I3 of the attaching plate I0. Preferably the portions of the extensions I2 of the plate tener member I so that the latter may float or be shiftably mounted therein. The retainer I may be secured to the attaching plateinanyvsuitable manner, as for example by tongues or i-xter'i'sjikjisf formed on one of the parts, for example vrthe attaching member I0, andnadaptedgto be'Abent over the marginal edges of theo'ther part;V as for example, the anges I9 of the retainer f5.'

The several parts of my improved fastener as-v sembly, and particularly the female Ifastener member and plate I0, may be separately heattreated and plated as desired and thereafter assnibled together prior to attachment to th' supe pi't. This `is f advantage a``t elia-bl's'tl'i parts subjected to' maximum' strain' to'be frrr'ie'd of rltiveiy ligntxmetal, which is,Y of great" ad; vantage in ircrjafttcoiisti-iction. Y

By' having the' attaching pnt-e In anaretainer I54 of correspon'din`g'v synfintridal outline a's sriitr'i; accurate .assembly or' theprts is facili: taten while insuring" that these parts'wiii beso positioned relative to each other as n'ct' to ilter fer with tlaivshifta'hility of the female fasten'il I.

It is to b'e'understood that th invention is not restricted to' the details sh'owriand describe'd5'as the s co'pe ofthe invention isbe'st defed irifthe appended clais.

l. An attaching unit for securing' a fastener p'ai'tv to al support, said u'it iricludingi plate member adaptedto support' said fastener p'art andvhaving a central aperture, and a` separate' etainfermfs" secured to' said plate' rn'errifrY and adapted to encompass said fastener part;

2. A atta'c'l'iirig'unitv for' securing af fastener part to a support, saidrunit' including a plate member adapted to support said fastener part and having a central aperture,V and a housing part for receiving said fastener part, said plate member and said housing part having cooperating fastener means for securing said parts in assembly,

3. An attaching unit for securing a fastener part to a support, said unit including a plate 'feifalliapfd' to s'lftsidffafsteer part and ha'ving a* central 'apeture and l"afhousing part for receiving a fastener part, said plate mmber being formed with apertures for the reception ofnattachingmembers for attaching said unit tofa support.

4. An attaching unit for securing a fastener parti jf'o aff VIsuppviart'said unit including a plate memberfafdaptedt'o support said fastener part andv having a'central aperture, and a housing part'A fOrJeceiVingia* fastener part, said housing having flange elements engaging said plate member.'

5. An attaching unit for securing a fastener part to'- a"4 support? sald un'it" includlngra plate member adapte'dvto1 supportl said t fastener parti' and; having'y a" central"` aperture,-N andf. a i'hou'sngi Apart" secured' t'o saidf-pla-te Lmembe; f said-ihosing having a cover portion andisidewalls'forencloss ing saidf'astener part#` a Y .f

6;' Ari" attaching unit forsecuringi affastener part to a: sup'portiasaid` unit-"including f platemembe'r' adapt'edto4 support` said"fastener part" and having ar central aperture; and;V arhousing part' secured t`o' saidy plate'fm'mber; saidhousinm having anf a-perturedj cover portionf an'd side'wallsf for enclosing saldfastenei'part; ahd's'aidhousinghaving flangeL eleinents eng'aging'sid platefn'lember; A l

FRANK-ErJOHNSCNc ltEll'EltllllGES CITED' Thefollowing references are of recorii'gitlf Nuiii Naz v Duree 2,356,412l JoiiesL-nncnc fAug; z2; 1944* 2,337,483 Marty rif-in Dec, 21131943 

